


A Needed Confrontation

by Evanaissante



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dursley Family Bashing (Harry Potter), Fluff and Angst, Harry Needs a Hug, Harry Potter & Ron Weasley Friendship, Redeemed Dudley Dursley, Ron Weasley is a Good Friend, and he gets one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-10-04 19:18:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17310350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evanaissante/pseuds/Evanaissante
Summary: After the war, Ron and Harry move in together and start settling into an easy routine, but when Harry doesn't get a reply to his letter to the Dursleys, Ron decides to take matters into his own hands and meet with his best friend's uncle and aunt.or the one where Ron yells at Vernon Dursley and loves Harry more than anything.





	A Needed Confrontation

**Author's Note:**

> hiya, just a quick note to say that this a Terrible Story™ that i wrote because my harry and ron feelings were off the charts and i wanted to write something about it. but this is by no means something serious, this is just flangst with ron telling vernon dursley where to stick it. i also wrote this in a "harry and ron aren't dating yet but they totally would" mindset so you can read it as pre-slash, or as just a very affectionate friendship if you prefer. either way, enjoy!
> 
> ps : i don't speak english so there might be some mistakes, let me know if you find any!

It's a rainy September day, the type that makes you weirdly sleepy and slightly grumpy, just like an old cat whose whiskers are made heavier with droplets of water. The leaves in the trees of Privet Drive have started to turn a beautiful shade of orange, and Ron melts into the landscape easily, he matches the colour scheme after all.

He didn't expect Vernon and Petunia Dursley to come back to their old home after the war or after Harry had sent them a letter to tell them all danger had been exterminated and that he was safe. They hadn't replied, and for a while, Harry had believed that his new owl, a tawny owl so different from Hedwig in every way that Ron just knew it was intentional, might have dropped it at the wrong address. The owl who was called Gertrude, _and why did Harry like old women's name for his pets_ , had been offended by the accusation, because, _of course_ , and they had been forced to apologise to that damn bird when a letter arrived, a month after, covered in the unsure handwriting of Dudley Dursley.

Dudley had left the family household to go to college in East London, he was studying electrical infrastructure construction, Ron had no idea what any of those words meant, and lived on the school's campus. From what Harry had told him, Dudley had apparently deeply disappointed his parents with his choice, he didn't want to follow Vernon's footsteps and he had refused to enter an expensive private college because it simply wasn't for him, which had apparently driven his mother to literal tears. Muggles were definitely strange.

But he had replied to Harry, and he had been kind. His letter included news, but also a thorough apology about his attitude when he and his cousin were both younger, it had made Harry slightly emotional and also surprised to see how well written the letter had been, seeing as the last time they had tried to have that conversation, a few minutes before saying goodbye, Dudley had been unable to make a complete sentence without stuttering. Still, now they wrote letters weekly, and Harry even considered meeting up with his cousin for a cup of tea, or a pint if Ron was invited. 

In Ron's book, Dudley was forgiven, he would probably glare at him a little when they met, but he'd been young, and god was Ron aware of the stupid shit you could do and say when you're young and dumb.

Vernon and Petunia were not, in fact, young. They might have been stupid, Ron had no real memories of them, but he remembered enough to know that they had no physical or mental disabilities that kept them from replying to their nephew. Which meant they purposefully didn't write back, meaning they consciously made Harry sad, and that was absolutely unforgivable.

Ron was aware that Harry would never admit that The Dursleys' opinion still had an effect on him. They'd been abusive, and it had taken a long time for his best friend to finally admit that out loud, but they'd also been his first and only family for thes first eleven years of his life, or at least, the only one he remembered. He now had a new family, formed mostly of ginger witches and wizards, as well as the few people who had survived the war, and while Harry had said again and again that it was the only family that mattered to him, Ron knew his friend better than anything else, and Harry's worse weakness was his need for acceptance, even when it came from the worst people.

In a way, Ron understood, Petunia Dursley was the last piece of Lily Evans still alive, she was the last person alive who had known Harry's mother and that mattered a lot to his best friend. And maybe, Harry would be disappointed with what he discovered, maybe, in the end, he wouldn't want to keep a relationship with the two people who had fed him stale bread and made him sleep in cupboard under some stairs, but he deserved the right to choose, he deserved the right to know, and that's exactly what Ron was going to give him.

He'd sneaked out of the Grimmauld Square after Harry had apparated to Hogwarts, he had a reunion with McGonagall to see what spells he should teach the third years during the first semester and he wouldn't be back before noon. Hermione didn't live with them, because intimacy and blah blah, but she usually spent most nights there anyway and Ron had been very careful to wake up Wallburga Black's painting before leaving. He'd wanted to take the bus, the Muggle bus because he was in his "let's try Muggle stuff" period, but after a quick talk with the driver, he'd learned that it would take over two hours and he simply apparated there, because he was maybe more open to Muggle methods, but he wasn't an idiot.

Privet Drive hadn't changed at all, it was still stuck in time like those wax figures of celebrities that Luna was so fond of. It was immaculate, free of any disturbance, it weirdly angered Ron, that peaceful road with those peaceful houses and those peaceful gardens. And most importantly, those peaceful people who starved their children because they were not like the other kids. 

He walked to the number 4 with great determination, only overpowered by his growing frustration and rage. He wasn't here to shout at the Dursleys, but only to tell them that a little card this Christmas would be highly appreciated. He knocked twice and forced a fake smile on his face before a blond woman, who could only be Petunia Dursley, opened the door.

"Yes?" She didn't look frightened or surprised, only bored, and she probably mistook him for one of those people who sold curious products door to door in neighbourhoods like this. He was dressed in a very simple looking brown aviator jacket that Ginny had given him last year and a god-awful purple scarf Harry had tried knotting before realising his true calling for homemade gifts were biscuits.

"Hello, Mrs Dursley, you might not remember me, but I'm a friend of your nephew?" He saw her eyes grow slightly bigger and her hands tightened around the corner of the door she was still holding. "I wondered if I could maybe talk to you for just a few minutes?"

"Petunia, who is it?" Asked a loud voice behind them, Vernon Dursley without a doubt.

"No one, Vernon!" His wife answered before turning to Ron with a sense of panic, "I need you to leave," She said, before quickly trying to close the door, that stayed open, but only because Ron entered the house and passed her.

"It will be only a few minutes."

She made a few angry noises behind him, offended, maybe, by his rude interruption or his dirty boots on her spotless beige carpet, but no matter, Ron walked towards the sound of Television playing. He'd become used to TV, Harry had bought one as soon as they both truly settled in the Black's old house and now he'd become almost charmed by the films and shows you could watch on it.

Vernon Dursley was sitting comfortably in a crumbling leather chair that didn't suit the rest of the soft green living room, he was drinking what seemed like very pale tea and eating biscuits filled with jam while mumbling at the news. He still had a stupid looking mustache and that was really all Ron had remembered about his physical appearance.

The man, who, now that Ron looked closely didn't seem to have a neck, almost jumped in the air when he saw him and pointed a finger towards him while gawking slightly. "Intruder!" He shrieked and it would have been funny if Ron hadn't found him so pathetic.

"Hi, Mr Dursley, I'm Ron Weasley." He sat down on a soft looking fuzzy pink chair and turned towards the man and his wife, who was now standing a little behind her husband, like Ron was a rabid dog that would bite her. "I'm Harry's best friend." Then he added, just because he could, "Your nephew, Harry, if you've forgotten."

Vernon Dursley gawked again, then let out a loud protest, "Get out of my house at this instant, young man!"

"Yes, yes," Ron nodded, "In a minute, as I told Mrs Durlsey, this will be very short."

"There won't be anything!" Vernon Dursley yelled, his face becoming red immediately, "Nothing short or long! I won't be bothered in my own house by yet another... another  _freak_!"

Ron stared, letting the man shout and his wife tremble like a leaf before, he raised a hand. "Let me remind you, Mr Dursley that I'm not an underage wizard who could be arrested for using a spell on you." He smiled, and it was true this time, "I could give you a pig's tail like another wizard did years ago and not face any trouble." 

That was an absolute lie, he'd get in huge troubles if he used such a spell on a Muggle, but Ron hoped that the Dursleys hadn't paid too much attention when Harry had tried to explain the laws of the Wizarding World. It obviously worked because Vernon Dursley quickly closed his mouth and Petunia sat next to him, still terrified but less pale than when he'd entered her house.

"Right," Ron started, sitting a little straighter and taking a deep breath, "As I said, I'm one of Harry's friends. I'm not here to cause you any trouble if that's what you think, or ask any money, I know that's something you're afraid of, I'm only here to talk about Harry."

Petunia now seemed more relaxed, and even a little interested. Her husband, however, looked ready to throw Ron out of his house by kicking him through the window.

"I don't know if you're aware, but the war in our world has ended two years ago now," He cleared his throat and stared at a small porcelain animal that was on the table in front of him. "The war was won, the Dark Lord we were fighting was defeated, and that mostly thanks to Harry. We helped him as we could, we tried to do our best and fight along him, but he was the one who freed us all." He looked back at Petunia Dursley, her face was stern and Ron couldn't tell if she believed him, but she didn't interrupt. "Harry and I live in a house in Islington, the one his godfather left him, and I know for a fact that Harry sent you a letter, three months after the war ended to let you know he was alive, that there was nothing threatening you anymore and you never replied."

 Vernon Dursley opened his mouth as if to shout some more, but Ron didn't let him continue. "I also know that you received this letter, firstly because you decided to move back in this house, which I hope you wouldn't have done without the evidence that there was no danger in doing so and secondly because your son wrote back to Harry."

Now, that caused a reaction.

"Dudders replied to Harry?" Petunia whispered, disbelieving. 

"Yes, he did."

She frowned, "He doesn't return our calls."

"That's because he knows we were right!" Vernon Dursley barked, puffing his chest like he needed to prove his superiority over Ron. "By now, he probably regrets going to that community college and he doesn't want to admit it."

"Actually, from what I gathered, he's doing great." Ron said, he tried to make it conversational but seeing the man's face turn scarlet made him smirk. "And he has a girlfriend named Maggie."

"How could you possibly know any of that? You're making it up!" Vernon Dursley cried out.

Ron shrugged, "Dudley writes to Harry every week."

Petunia gasped as Vernon choked on his saliva, "That's a lie! My son would never make friends with that anomaly!"

A burning furor filled Ron suddenly, making him draw out his wand and press it to the man's lack of neck. The three of them were breathing heavily, one from terror and two from rage, but Ron was the first one to break the silence.

"Never call Harry anything like that again in front of me." He spat out, he felt his cheeks grow hot and his hand slightly shakes as he put his wand away. "You have no idea who he is, what he's done and what he means to me."

He turned to Petunia, because she had been the closest to understand, the only one here possibly ready to make amends and start something new. "You might have taken him in, but I was the first one after, his parents died, to love him."

He didn't sit, he wanted to leave as soon as possible, there was nothing to salvage here, it'd been a mistake to come, but he had to let out the words that were dancing on the tip of his tongue.

"I wasn't the first person to meet him, not even the first wizard, but I knew instantly that he was going to be the most important person in my life." He inhaled sharply as Petunia Dursley stared, "Not because of his scar, not because of his name, but because he bought me enough sweets to make me sick without even knowing if I could ever pay him back."

He continued, because there was so much to say about Harry, about them both, about their journey, "Sometimes he annoys me to no ends, he's stubborn and he never thinks before he acts, he always puts himself in terrible danger, and I have to admit that there were times when I felt like I was nothing compared to him, but he was never the one to make me feel that way, it was always the world, never him." He felt his throat close a little, but he carried on, "He's kind, even when people aren't kind to him, but that doesn't mean he lets himself be pushed around. He can be so very polite, especially in front of my mother, but he also swears so much that if my ears could fall they would and he has the darkest, most harsh sense of humour ever. He's generous and loyal, but he always calls me on my shit, and he's brave, even when he should have to be."

He looked directly into Petunia's eyes, "He's all of this and not because of you. You didn't raise him like this, he became this good on his own." He dusted his jeans and added, "I came here to ask you to write back, just so you could try to learn to know him, but you don't deserve to. So I'll just say this, because if you need to keep one thing from this extremely umcomfortable encounter, it's this ;  _you didn't ruin him_. You tried, and you could have succeeded if he wasn't a good person at heart. Everything he has become isn't thanks to you, it isn't even in reaction to how terrible you were, it's just how he  _is_."

He walked to the door, not looking back, "Goodbye, it really was awful to meet you."

He left the house, his heart beating too quickly and his blood boiling a little. He crushed leaves under his feet as he walked, because the need to destroy something was far too strong to at least allow himself that, but he would probably throw some old vase that had belonged to some of Sirius' dead aunts when he went home. He prepared himself to apparate, slightly away from Privet Drive's houses when he heard someone call after him.

Petunia Dursley was running behind him, her blond hair escaping from her low ponytail and her slippers turning grey from the dirty pavement.

"Wait!" She shouted, then she grabbed Ron's arm, "Please, just wait."

Ron rolled his eyes, "What?"

She looked at him, her eyes somehow glassy and asked, "If I write to Harry, do you think he'd write to me too?"

Ron blinked, confused, "Harry always replies."

"But would he reply to  _me_?"

Ron didn't even have to consider it, "Yes, yes, of course he would."

Petunia Dursley let his arm go and took a few steps back, then she exhaled deeply, "Then I will."

When Ron apparated back to the house, a very pleased smile stuck on his face, Harry didn't ask why, he just smiled back and said, "Did anything good today, Ron?"

And Ron, who hadn't stopped gloating since noon, just answered, "Oh yes." He hugged his best friend, letting his head find the crook of Harry's neck and whispered, "Yes, I did."

**Author's Note:**

> harry : what did you do today?
> 
> ron : told your uncle i'm in love with you
> 
> harry : what
> 
> ron: what


End file.
